Every morning and evening after the Sannidhanam is cleaned, the samadhi is decorated with flowers. Anyone present there is free to get to participate in the decoration which means there is almost always a new set of people working together in a team to decorate. Usually one of us starts with something and then everyone adds their own ideas to it. All ideas are welcome and however much or little one gets to contribute to the design, everyone is always happy. It's incredible how organic, harmonious and inclusive the whole thing is.

Then the other day I found that there was something even more incredible happening during this process. I found that of all the tasks that one could get involved in at Sannidhanam, this is one activity that really showed one the nature of impermanence and how one could relate to it.

During decoration everyone puts their whole heart and mind to it. It takes more than a hour sometimes to meticulously set every flower, every petal as beautifully and to the best of ones ability. Everyone does it with such joy, enthusiasm and love. And just a few hours later, the whole thing is removed and thrown into the pit. Everyone knows this, but the fact that it's going to be so very temporary doesn't even occur to ones mind while decorating! There is no expectation of any kind. No expectation of appreciation, no expectation of it being there for a longer period, nothing! Such thoughts seem almost ridiculous and don't even cross ones mind!

But in our everyday life it isn't like that at all. The knowledge of impermanence can make one unenthusiastic, sad or even cause resignation. And the experience of impermanence can bring fear or discomfort. (Except to the lucky few where it inspires zeal to live life to the fullest!) Imagine if we could take the same attitude from the activity of decorating the samadhi to the various tasks and relationships in our life. Loving your child or your partner without condition. Being open to and accepting of new ideas. Being non-judgmental and putting our heart and mind solely into the task at hand. Expressing love without expectation and being grateful for the opportunity to do so. If we could really do that, then the world surely be a much happier place.

Such a valuable lesson and strangely there is no one visibly teaching it! Yet, everyone there practices it unknowingly, naturally, almost instinctively! Isn't that amazing? "I don't teach you. I make you learn" comes to mind. The Sannidhanam is full of insights and answers. Daddy is so eager to help. I image daddy as an excited unrelenting child running to his mother trying to show her something incredible he just found. But the mother (like us) is too busy pre-occupied with all the various things around her and doesn't seem to pay much attention.

Receiving help in Sannidhanam requires no great effort or difficult sadhanas. Just do what feels right and he takes care of the rest. All we need to do is be ready and open to receive it. Simply ask and wait to see the answers flow in. :)

P.S. — What makes this beauty of impermanence stand out even more is the steady flame of the Akhanda Deepam (symbolizing permanence) burning in silent contrast in front of the samadhi.